Fire-escape



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l J. G. BERDROW & P. A. PELKEYQ F'IRE ESCAPE.

No. 396,852. Patented Jan. 29, 1889.

.-..-,. WA 29- W1 u ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 12.

J. G. BERDROW & P. A. PELKEY. FIRE ESCAPE.

No. 396,852. Patented Jan. 29, 1889.

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gez cVMM By ATTORNEYS.

N. FEIERS, mcml'nhu n nw. wahinman. D. C.

FFTCEQ JAMES G. BERTHHHV AND FRANK A. PELKEY, OF SEXVARD, NEBRASKA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 396,852, dated January29, 1889.

invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Escapes, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact descri1 )tion.

The object of this invention isto provide an improved lire-escape bywhich the descent of persons from a building in case of fire maybeeffected quickly, safely, and conveniently, and which will possess themerits of simplicity, compactness, and cheapness to a marked degree.

The invention comprises certain novel features of construction andcombinations of parts and in order that the invention may be fullyunderstood the mode in which it may be carried into effect will first bedescribed in detail, and its various features then distinctly pointedout in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorrespondin parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the application of afire-escape embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged frontelevation of the said fireescape, and Fig. 3 is a sectional sideelevation of the same on the line 00 a; of Fig. 2.

The frame A of the improved fire-escape thus illustrated is adapted tobe rigidly secured to the outside of the door or window casing of abuilding, as shown in Fig. 1, and is provided with forward-projectingbearings C, in which is mounted to turn a transverse shaft, D, havingfixed thereto a pair of grooved wimling-drums, E F.

Hoisting-cables E F, carrying on their lower ends hooks for attachmentof the cages or cars E which hold the persons making the descent, arewound in opposite directions on the respective drums E F, so that whenone car descends the other cable will be automatically wound up for useby the next person, and so on indefinitely. On the winding-shaft D isalso fixed a cog-wheel, G, which gears with a pinion, H, fixed on atransverse shaft, I, which is also mounted to turn in hearings on theframe A, and carries a cog-wheel, J,

Serial No. 280,956. (No model.)

which is geared with. a pinion, K, fixed on another transverse shaft, K,mounted in bearings on the frame A. The shaft K carries also a largebevelgear, K which engages with a bevel-pinion, L,fixed on the lower endof a "ertical shaft, L, which is mounted to turn in bearings on theframe A. This arrangenu-mt of multiplying gearing is to cause thevertical shaft L to revolve rapidly while the windingsha'ft isundergoing a comparatively slow rotation.

On the upper end of the vertical shaft L is fixed a peri pherallygroovedbrake-wheel, M, with the groove of which a brake-sh0e, M, fixed on theupward-prejecting arm N of an angle brake-lever, N, is adapted toengage, so as to firmly grip and check the brake-wheel, and thus,through the connecting-gearing de' scribed, the winding-shaft I) whenpressed against the brake-wheel.

The brake-lever N is pivoted at its anglci'o the frame .A, and has alateral curved arm, N against the top of which a spring, N is arrangedto bear, so as to hold the brake-shoe M normally away from thebrake-wheel M. The inturned end of the arm N of the brakelever forms acam, 0, below which a lever, O, is pivoted to the frame Ain such amanner as to, when swung upward, engage the cam O and throw thebrakeshoe M against the brake-wheel.

The free end of the leverOis forked to embrace loosely anannularly-grooved sleeve, P, which is mounted both to slide lengthwiseand to turn freely on the vertical shaftL, and di' rectly beneath whichoppos .e pairs of ears P are formed on or rigidly attached to the shaftL, between which ears are pivoted the ends of opposite weightedgovernor-arms Q, having cams Q on. their upper edges to engage thebottom of the sleeve P.

The construction and arrangement are such that whenv the winding-shaft Dis caused to revolve in either direction by the weight of a persondescending by one of the two cables E F an excessive speed will causethe weighted arms Q of the governor in revolving to swing upward, sothat their cams Q will elevate the sleeve P, and thus through the lever0' apply the brake and check the rotation of the winding-gear. Thedescent of the car Will thus be maintained at a uniform rate Whatever bethe Weight of the person descending thereby. A hand-brake rope or cable,R, is also attached to the outer arm of thebrakelever N, is passedloosely through a stationary guide, R, thereabove, and is permitted tohang downward, so that it can be grasped and drawn upon by the personabout to descend by the car, and the latter thus held in place until heis ready to descend or checked at any point of the descent.

Brackets S T are fixed to the frame A be t low the respectiveWinding-drums E F, and

are provided with guides S T, through which ernor-shaft,weightedswinging governorarms, a pivotal lever in operative connection with 2 5the governor-arms, a brake-Wheel connected to the Winding-gear, and apivotal brake-lever having a brake-shoe and a cam engaged by the pivotallever operated by the governorarnis, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a supporting-frame, a Winding-drum, adescending-cable, abrake- Wheel in connection With the Winding-drum, abrake-lever pivoted to the frame and having a curved ca1narm, acam-lever engaging the cam-arm, speed mechanism by which the saidcam-lever is controlled, and a hanging hand rope or cable, also attachedto the said camarm of the brake and guided on the frame, substantiallyas described.

JAMES G. BERDROVV. FRANK A. PELKEY.

\Vitn esses:

EDMUND McINTYRE, JOEL TISI-IEN.

